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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23059204">Love Between Strangers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerotoninShift/pseuds/SerotoninShift'>SerotoninShift</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Promare (2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, idiots to lovers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:07:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,849</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23059204</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerotoninShift/pseuds/SerotoninShift</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“You’re the biggest idiot I’ve ever had the misfortune of encountering,” Lio says.</p><p>“And you’re the most arrogant, self-righteous brat I’ve ever met,” Galo says.</p><p>They glare at each other, faces still just inches apart.</p><p>“You wanna make out?” Galo asks, still glaring.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>474</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Love Between Strangers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>“Love between strangers takes only a few seconds and can last a whole life.”</p><p>~Simon Van Booy</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first time they sleep together, they just sleep.</p><p>It’s been nearly forty-eight hours since the Parnassus crashed into the ground. They’re ordered back to the station and into the bunk room by Ignis, who personally escorts them, despite Lio’s loud protestations that there’s more to do, more people to extricate from the wreckage.</p><p>“Yes,” Ignis says, “and we can do it without <em> you </em> for eight hours. Get some sleep before both you idiots become bigger liabilities than you already are.”</p><p>Lio collapses petulantly onto a bunk. Galo spreads out on the one next to him. Ignis is a <em> fool; </em> Lio doesn’t think he’ll be able to sleep, even though he’s physically and mentally exhausted. His stomach is knotted into coils of anxiety for the people still trapped in the pods, for the future of the Burnish, for, selfish as it may be, his <em> own </em> future. After the chaos has died down, people are going to remember he was a notorious arson terrorist. But after glaring at the ceiling for awhile, Lio rolls over onto his side and looks at Galo; the man has worked absolutely tirelessly for the past two days straight and is now applying himself to sleeping with the same single-minded fervor. His eyes are closed; his mouth is hanging open; he’s starting to snore.</p><p>Lio blinks and, to his own surprise, follows Galo into sleep.</p><p>***</p><p>Lio wakes to a pair of brilliant blue eyes staring into his. Galo is on his side, facing Lio, their faces only inches apart.</p><p>Lio startles into full awareness. Galo doesn’t look away. Lio stares back at him defiantly. If Galo wants to play eye contact chicken, Lio intends to win.</p><p>“You know,” Galo says without blinking, “you still haven’t taken responsibility.”</p><p>“For <em> what, </em> you absolute moron?” Lio says, nettled. Galo is unfazed.</p><p>“You took my mouth virginity,” he says with dignity.</p><p>“You’re a certified EMT,” Lio says. “I refuse to believe you’ve never done CPR on anyone before.” Lio looks him up and down; the expanse of tan skin and muscle on display is absolutely ridiculous. “I also refuse to believe you’ve never kissed anyone before,” he says, irritated.</p><p>“One,” Galo says, holding up a finger, <em>“that </em>wasn’t CPR. And two.” He holds up another finger. “I didn’t say I’d never kissed anyone, I said you took my mouth virginity. It’s different.”</p><p>“‘Mouth virginity’ is something you literally just made up. And even if it <em> was </em> a real thing, <em> you </em> were the one who decided that lip-locking was the only way to get my fire back to me. So it would be more accurate to say you <em> gave </em>me your mouth virginity.”</p><p>Galo looks thoughtful.</p><p>“Huh,” he says.</p><p>“Then you tried to punch me,” Lio says tetchily. </p><p>“Yeah,” Galo says, “but to be fair we’ve pretty much done nothing but try to punch each other since the moment we met. It was a reflex.”</p><p>“You’re the biggest idiot I’ve ever had the misfortune of encountering,” Lio says.</p><p>“And you’re the most arrogant, self-righteous brat I’ve ever met,” Galo says.</p><p>They glare at each other, faces still just inches apart.</p><p>“You wanna make out?” Galo asks, still glaring.</p><p>“I’m going to annihilate you,” Lio says.</p><p>“You can <em> try,” </em>Galo says, and Lio launches himself at Galo, ending up draped half over his own bunk and half over Galo’s, their lips pressed firmly together, hands in each other’s hair.</p><p>Lio clambers fully onto Galo’s bunk after awhile, straddles him. “You remember my name this time, right?” Lio says. </p><p>“Yeah,” Galo says, a little breathlessly.</p><p>“Say it,” Lio growls. Galo gets a stubborn look on his face.</p><p>“Make me,” Galo says, and grabs him, flipping him effortlessly and pinning him to the mattress, one big hand around both his wrists, holding his arms above his head. Unacceptable. Lio reflexively tries to call his fire, just to make a warning flicker, to remind Galo who’s boss.</p><p>His fire doesn’t answer.</p><p>He remembers, with a rush of unaccustomed panic, that the Promare are gone. He’s back to the way he was before he became Burnish; small, weak, <em> defenseless. </em></p><p><em> “No!” </em> he screams, flailing his legs.</p><p>Galo instantly lets him go and sits back on his heels.</p><p>“Shit!” Galo says, holding up his hands. “Sorry! I’m sorry!”</p><p>“Don’t you <em> ever!” </em> Lio says, sitting up, and then he shoves Galo hard in the chest. Galo goes over backward, but Lio gets the distinct sense that he <em> let </em> himself be pushed. Rage and frustration flare in Lio’s gut. He crawls up Galo’s body, sits on him, grabs his forearms, and pins his hands by the sides of his head. Again, Galo <em> lets </em> him. Lio has to suppress the sudden, strong urge to slap him in the face. Instead he leans forward and growls, “Don’t you <em> dare,” </em>next to Galo’s ear.</p><p>“I won’t, I’m sorry, I won’t,” Galo says, and he sounds… nervous, cowed. Lio bites him on the neck. Galo gasps. Then Lio kisses him <em> hard, </em> pushing his tongue between Galo’s lips, claiming his mouth. Lio’s stomach is roiling, a hideous mix of arousal and anxiety and anger. He pushes it all down and concentrates on kissing Galo senseless, focusing on the way Galo’s tongue has started to answer his, the way Galo is making small, helpless noises into his mouth. Lio’s still in charge. He’s still powerful. He <em> is. </em></p><p>“You know, boys,” says an amused, nasal voice from the direction of the door, “we have <em> one rule</em>, and y’all look like you’re about to break it.”</p><p>Lio pulls back, startled. “Fuck!” Galo yells. </p><p>Lucia is leaning in the doorway, blowing a bubble with her gum. </p><p>“What’s the rule?” Lio asks her, not moving.</p><p>“Get off me!” Galo yells, struggling, but not hard enough to throw Lio off.</p><p>Lucia’s bubble pops. She sucks the flaccid gum back into her mouth. “No sex in the bunk room,” she drawls.</p><p>Lio takes his time standing up. He straightens out the shirt Galo gave him, which is much too big. Tugging it back into place, Lio belatedly realizes it must be one of <em> Galo’s </em>shirts. Galo sits up, stares at him, and then at Lucia, looking peeved.</p><p>“We weren’t gonna… <em> you </em>know,” Galo says, face red. “I respect the rules of the Burning Rescue station.”</p><p>“Uh huh,” Lucia says. “What about the calzone incident?”</p><p>“That was a <em> fluke,” </em>Galo says. Lio decides not to ask.</p><p>“Okay,” Lio says instead, and claps his hands together. “Enough fucking around. We need to get back to work.”</p><p>Lucia gestures to him. “I’ve got schematics of the Parnassus,” she says. “The pods are eighty-seven percent cleared. C’mon, I’ll show you the priority areas and you guys can go meet up with Varys and Remi and the other rescue crews. Ignis and Aina are taking a break. I’m running ops. I’ve had seventeen cups of coffee in five hours! My levels of cognition are <em> through the roof.” </em></p><p>Lio isn’t generally much for scientists, but he decides he likes this tiny madwoman. </p><p>“Show me,” he says, and walks with her out of the room. He doesn’t look back at Galo. But he knows Galo is right behind him.</p><p>***</p><p>The second time they sleep together, they don’t sleep at all.</p><p>“I’ll give you half the rent,” Lio says, dropping his meager bag of possessions on Galo’s couch. “I pay my debts.”</p><p>“Please,” Galo says, rolling his eyes. “You already owe me, like, a<em> life </em> debt, you are <em> so </em> in the red. A little rent money isn’t going to matter.”</p><p>Lio knows he’s joking, but tears sting the corners of his eyes.</p><p><em> “No,” </em> he says without looking up. “I <em> pay </em> my <em> debts.” </em></p><p>“Hey,” Galo says, a little more gently. “Don’t worry about it right now. Seriously. I’m doing this because I want to.”</p><p>“...Why?” Lio asks.</p><p>Galo looks puzzled. “Why do I <em> want </em>to?” He shrugs. “I see a problem, I fix it. You living in the station bunk room is a problem. I’m fixing it.”</p><p>“I’ve only been staying there two days.”</p><p>“Still.”</p><p>“You see a fire, you put it out,” Lio says with a begrudging smile.</p><p>Galo eyes him. “Most of them, anyway,” he says.</p><p>Lio doesn’t know how to respond to that. So he doesn’t. Galo leaves him be and goes into the kitchen. Lio listens to him bustle around for a bit, and then unzips his bag, unwraps the framed portrait of his parents from his small bundle of clothes, and sets it on Galo’s end table.</p><p>That’s the extent of his ability to move in.</p><p>Galo comes back with two mugs of tea. He hands one to Lio. His eyes flick to the photograph, but he doesn’t comment. He sits down in the overstuffed, mismatched armchair, tacitly ceding the whole couch to Lio. Lio sits on it. He once dreamed of a desert kingdom <em> of </em> Burnish <em> for </em>Burnish; now he’s happy just to have a ratty couch. But he spreads his legs like he’s sitting on his throne of flame, rests his elbows on his knees, and sips his tea.</p><p>It’s too hot, and it burns his tongue. Lio just barely keeps himself from flinching.</p><p>Galo fiddles with his mug.</p><p>“So I talked to Heris,” he says. Lio looks up sharply. </p><p>“About housing,” Galo says. “We need to get everyone out of the emergency shelters. They’re over capacity.”</p><p>The situation within Promepolis’s leadership is fraught. After fist-bumping Lio, Galo had turned, marched over to Kray, and tried to put him under citizens’ arrest. Vulcan had gotten back into his armor somehow and after a tense stand-off between Burning Rescue and Freeze Force, the Freeze Force goons had spirited away their shell-shocked, one-armed boss, disappearing into the desert in clouds of dust and exhaust. Heris, Kray’s top researcher and second-in-command, had found herself reluctantly at the head of the Foresight Foundation. Since absolutely everyone at the Foundation, and therefore in Promepolis’ government, had been complicit in one way or another in what happened to the Burnish, Lio was forced to accept this as the best of a bad deal.</p><p>At least Aina can keep Heris in line. Heris is willing to talk about resettlement and reparations. That’s all that really matters; Lio needs his people cared for and safe.</p><p>Justice, he thinks, will have to wait. </p><p>Burning Rescue is on Lio’s side; they’ve brought some of the other militarized fire departments around. Lio has the ex-Burnish on his side; that was never a question, but they aren’t exactly a formidable force right now, considering their recent mass imprisonment and trauma. Many of them are still in the hospital. A surprising number of Promepolisans are sympathetic; many were sheltering closeted Burnish, and Lucia, quick thinker that she is, had spliced together a highlight reel of Kray’s atrocities and broadcasted it on hacked Promepolis state television—the grisliest infomercial imaginable—right after Kray fled into the desert. The whole city knows what he did, now. More people are coming around to empathizing with Mad Burnish’s reasoning, if not their tactics. There’s a tentative understanding growing that the Burnish aren’t a threat anymore, and while decades of fear and mistrust will be hard to repair, there’s indications that progress is possible.</p><p>But the city is balanced on a knife’s edge. One wrong move and the whole place could blow up like a powder keg. Lio, as the <em> de facto </em> leader of the Burnish, can’t afford to do what he’d really <em> like </em> to do, which is to strap Heris into a human-sized centrifuge and spin her until her guts get rearranged. He keeps these thoughts to himself.</p><p>“I know you might not like it,” Galo continues, “but some of the terraforming technology Kray developed could come in handy. We could flatten some of the wrecked areas around the Parnassus into dirt with the, uuuuh, <em> cultivation </em>beam. Then put up houses. There’s a widget that basically 3D-prints a house in like ten minutes. I know it might suck to live in Foresight Foundation tech, but it’s better than the shelters, right?”</p><p>Lio knows Heris served Galo his last meal in prison. Galo told him. And yet, Galo went and<em> talked </em> to her. For him. For <em> them. </em>For the Burnish.</p><p>Lio feels something in his gut that might be gratitude, or might be terror. He puts his tea down on the end table, pinches the bridge of his nose.</p><p>“I can’t make that decision unilaterally,” he says. “I need to convene a meeting with my people. Meis and Gueira can…"</p><p>Lio stops, struck by a sudden, horrid flash of memory; Gueira, tumbling weakly into his arms when they’d finally been able to get to his pod, nearly five stories up. Gueira clawing frantically at the restraints holding Meis, who hangs limp, a dark bruise covering half his face, his lip split, breath shallow. Gueira, his fierce general, wrecked and leaning on Lio as Varys carries Meis toward the torn opening in the wall they’ve been using as a door and the traitorous, cheerful, obliviously shining sun. </p><p>Lio clenches his fists. Meis is going to be okay, he reminds himself, trying to take a deep breath. Gueira is going to be okay. </p><p>Lio’s fingernails dig into his palms. Not <em> everyone </em> is going to be okay. And it’s <em> his fault. </em></p><p>Lio squeezes his eyes shut. He miscalculated. He led Freeze Force right to them. That fucking old man and his cowardly heart. Lio should have <em> seen. </em> He should have <em> known. </em> Freeze Force had been one step ahead of him the whole time. Some sorry excuse for a <em> leader </em>he was.</p><p>“Hey. Hey,” Galo is saying. Lio opens his eyes.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Galo asks. “You kind of went away for a second.”</p><p>Lio swallows. “I shouldn’t make that decision at all. I really shouldn’t make decisions for the Burnish anymore. I failed them, you know,” he says hoarsely. “I <em> failed </em>them, Galo.”</p><p>Galo looks wounded. “It’s not your fault,” he says. “None of this is your fault. <em> Kray </em> did this.” His voice cracks on the name. Lio remembers. Galo has his own pain.</p><p>Lio stands up, strides the few steps to Galo, leans over, and kisses him harshly, urgently. Galo returns the kiss, fierce.</p><p>“Do it. Build the houses,” Lio says, voice low and raspy, when he pulls away. “Later. Right now, I want you to make me feel something else. Make me forget. Just for awhile.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Galo says, “okay.” His hands are already plucking at the hem of Lio’s too-big t-shirt. All of Lio’s shirts belong to Galo now. Lio grabs the shirt, strips it off. Galo’s big hands wrap around his waist.</p><p>For awhile, Lio forgets.</p><p>*** </p><p>The third time they sleep together, it’s not because they’re in pain. It’s something else.</p><p>“You really don’t have to sleep out here,” Galo says, walking through the living room from the kitchen in nothing but his boxers. They have little firetrucks on them. Lio, bundled up in multiple blankets on the couch, gives him a jaundiced look. </p><p>“Where am I supposed to sleep,” he says.</p><p>Galo rolls his eyes. “You can share the bed, <em> duh. </em> It’s a king. There’s plenty of room.”</p><p>“I don’t want to intrude on your space.”</p><p>Galo looks at him incredulously. </p><p>“You kind of ‘intruded on my space’ right over there the other day,” he says, making a rude gesture and then pointing at the armchair. Lio flushes.</p><p>“That’s different,” Lio says.</p><p>Galo looks faintly hurt. “You take my mouth virginity and bone me on my own chair, and then you won’t even give me the courtesy of a cuddle? You’re the worst boyfriend.”</p><p>Lio flushes darker.</p><p>“We’re not even dating,” he says. It comes out weaker than he would have liked.</p><p>“Yeah, okay, you’re more like my cat than my boyfriend,” Galo says thoughtfully. “Like, I can pet you sometimes, but then other times you claw the shit out of me.”</p><p>Lio sputters. He’s never been more insulted in his <em> life.  </em></p><p>“I am <em> not,” </em> he says, bristling, “like a <em> cat.”  </em></p><p>“If you had a tail it would be puffed up right now,” Galo says, unrepentant. “But seriously. Come sleep in the bed. We don’t have to do anything.”</p><p>Lio sniffs and curls deeper into his blankets. He hears Galo sigh and walk out of the room. </p><p>But he keeps thinking about it. What it might be like. Curling up next to Galo’s solid warmth, maybe sleeping through the night for once.</p><p>After tossing and turning restlessly for an hour or so, he gives in.</p><p>He cracks Galo’s door open as softly as he can, one of the blankets wrapped around his shoulders. Carefully, he pads over to the bed, stands next to it for a long moment. It <em> is </em>a big bed; Galo is sprawled out on it, arms and legs akimbo, snoring softly, and there’s still room on the outside.</p><p>As if Galo left space for him.</p><p>Lio climbs in, on top of the blankets, pulling his own blanket around himself.</p><p>“Nnn,” Galo says. Lio freezes.</p><p>There’s a long silence.</p><p>“Hey Lio,” Galo says, voice hazy.</p><p>“Sorry,” Lio whispers. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”</p><p>“S’okay,” Galo mumbles, and scoots over, rolling onto his side. Lio dares to turn over slowly and face him. They stare at each other in the darkness. Galo’s face is barely lit by a bit of streetlight coming through the blinds.</p><p>“Welcome to the bed,” Galo says finally, voice still blurry with sleep. “Please enjoy your stay.”</p><p>It’s not <em> that </em>funny, but Lio snorts out a startled laugh. Galo smiles, reaches out a hand. Lio watches it get closer with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. Galo strokes his hair, once, twice. Then he pulls his hand back.</p><p>“‘Night, Lio,” he mutters, and closes his eyes.</p><p>In less than a minute, he’s snoring again. Lio stares at him until his own eyes fall shut and he sleeps.</p><p>***</p><p>When Lio wakes up, Galo is in the exact same position, still snoring faintly. The sun is coming in through the blinds. Lio scoots forward and reaches out to touch Galo’s hair, running his fingers over the shaved part on the side, in an echo of the way Galo touched him the night before. Then he puts a hand on Galo’s shoulder and shakes him.</p><p>“Mnngh?” Galo says.</p><p>“Wake up,” Lio commands. </p><p>“Whu… wha?” Galo mumbles, opening his eyes and blinking owlishly in the early morning light.</p><p>“I…” Lio says. “I know you said we didn’t have to do anything. But I’m… I want…” He rests a hand on Galo’s bare chest. Galo captures Lio’s hand in his own larger one, squeezes.</p><p>“Yeh,” Galo says blearily, and Lio scoots forward a little more and kisses him. </p><p>They’ve already done this once, but doing it in a <em> bed </em> seems luxurious to Lio; <em> decadent</em>. He spreads Galo out, takes his time with him, makes him pant and shake and curse and come, twice. Galo is eager to please, lets Lio kneel over his face and slide his dick into his mouth, lets him come against the back of his throat. </p><p>They don’t talk about it, afterward. But Galo looks smug and pleased with himself all day. Lio feels the same way. He just hopes he’s not so shamelessly transparent.</p><p>***</p><p>The fourth time they sleep together, it’s because they have a fight.</p><p>“You irresponsible, pigeon-brained coconut!” Lio shouts, slamming the door of Burning Rescue shut behind him. “Why would you say that on Promepolis state television?”</p><p>Galo throws his hands up in the air. “What was I supposed to do? <em> Lie?” </em></p><p><em> “Yes!” </em> Lio shrieks. </p><p>“Why are you so upset?”</p><p>“You said we were <em> boyfriends!”  </em></p><p>“Aren’t we?” Galo looks a little concerned.</p><p>“That’s immaterial,” Lio says. “The point is, the <em> optics </em> of… of <em> whatever </em>this is could be catastrophic! You’re the hero of Burning Rescue! I’m the former leader of Mad Burnish!”</p><p>Galo furrows his brow. “Maybe I’m dumb,” he says, “but I don’t get how the optics of bagging a hot firefighter are bad for you.”</p><p>“It’s not <em> me </em>I’m worried about!” Lio shouts.</p><p>Galo furrows his brow further.</p><p>“What?” he says.</p><p>“Galo.” Lio rubs his temples. “A lot of people don’t trust the ex-Burnish. And there are Kray Foresight loyalists out there who want to see us gone. Aligning yourself with the ex-Burnish so publicly… it makes you a target, too. Right now you have influence. You have a position of power. You have <em> fans. </em>You could lose all that.”</p><p>Galo looks at him blankly.</p><p>“So?” he says.</p><p>Lio stares at him.</p><p>“Do you not get the implications?” he says, exasperated.</p><p>“No, I get it,” Galo says. “I just don't give a flying fuck.”</p><p>Lio gapes at him.</p><p>“I can handle myself,” Galo says. “And I told you. Through smoke and flame, I got your back. You think I didn’t mean it or something?”</p><p>Lio… hadn’t thought he meant it like <em> that. </em></p><p>“Look, maybe it’ll work the other way,” Galo says. “Maybe my fans will become your fans too. It’s worth a try, right? Make some more inroads for Burnish acceptance? Heck, maybe banging an ex-Burnish will become the new fad.”</p><p>“Galo, you… you <em> moron,” </em> Lio says, shocked. His body is going hot and cold by turns. He has to do <em> something. </em></p><p>“Come here,” he says, and grabs Galo by the arm, pulls him through the machine shop, and into a little storage closet he found when he was scoping out all the exits to the building.</p><p>“What are we doing?” Galo says. Lio locks the door.</p><p>“Shut up,” Lio says, and proceeds to blow Galo until Galo’s knees give out.</p><p>***</p><p>They’re slumped on the floor of the storage closet, leaning on each other.</p><p>“I called you a coconut,” Lio says into Galo’s shoulder. “And a moron.”</p><p>“I’ve been called worse,” Galo says. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”</p><p>“I…” Lio fists his hands into Galo’s shirt. “You don’t…” He’s not sure what he’s trying to say.</p><p>“I do, though,” Galo says, and Lio buries his face in Galo’s chest and holds on.</p><p>***</p><p>The fifth time they sleep together, it’s because they hurt each other accidentally.</p><p>“Three questions,” Galo says. They’re eating dinner at the kitchen counter, sitting next to each other on the barstools.</p><p>“What?” Lio says, confused.</p><p>“I piloted a giant mech with you and saved the world, but I don’t even know what your favorite color is,” Galo says. “I’ll ask you a question, then you ask me one, and we’ll do that three times. Like… an icebreaker!”</p><p>Lio raises an eyebrow. “You’ve had my dick in your mouth,” he says. “You called me your boyfriend on live TV.”</p><p>“All the more reason to do an icebreaker,” Galo says, unperturbed. “So! Where did you grow up?”</p><p>“Detroit, Michigan,” Lio says.</p><p>There’s a long silence.</p><p>“C’mon, you gotta give me a little more detail,” Galo says, annoyed.</p><p>“No, it’s my turn,” Lio says. “What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?”</p><p>Galo laughs, startled.</p><p>“Okay, have you ever had garlic ice cream?” he says.</p><p>“Oh my god, that sounds disgusting,” Lio says, horrified.</p><p>Galo waves a hand, laughing again. “It’s not so bad. Mostly tastes like vanilla. Okay, my turn. If you could have a pet, what kind would you get?”</p><p>Lio opens his mouth… and stops.</p><p>“I haven’t thought about that in years,” he says after a moment. “When I was younger, I wanted a parrot. But… then things happened and a pet wasn’t an option. I guess now…” He taps his lip and then smirks. “I guess I’d get a cat,” he says, punching Galo in the shoulder. “If you say I’m so much like one.”</p><p>Galo grins at him. “I could see it,” he says. “What would you name it?”</p><p>“No, it’s my turn.” Lio ponders his options. “What’s your favorite place?” he finally asks.</p><p>“Well, I haven’t been that many places,” Galo says. “I’ve lived in Promepolis all my life. I <em> would </em>have said Prometh Lake, but now it’s just a crater with a weird building in it. I don’t know. I guess Burning Rescue?”</p><p>“The station? You can’t pick your <em> workplace.”  </em></p><p>“I love my job,” Galo says with pride. “Okay, last one.” He thinks for a second, then, suddenly serious, says, “Those are your parents in that picture you have, right? You… still in touch with them?”</p><p>Lio feels his stomach drop a little, like it always does when he thinks about his parents.</p><p>“My parents are dead,” he says flatly.</p><p>“Oh,” Galo says.</p><p>“I was sixteen. We were in a really… a really bad car accident. I… I became Burnish. I don’t know…” He takes a deep breath. “I don’t know what killed them. The accident. Or the fire.”</p><p>The color drains out of Galo’s face. “Oh,” he says again.</p><p>There’s nothing else to say.</p><p>Galo tries anyway, the imbecile.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he says. “I shouldn’t have asked about them. I just… they look nice. In the photo. You know… you know it wasn’t your fault, right?”</p><p>Galo’s eyes are soft. Lio can’t look at him. He doesn’t deserve that kind of softness.</p><p>“My turn,” Lio says fiercely. He thinks of several mean questions, but then discards them all. He’s not going to weaponize this conversation. Galo didn’t mean any harm. “What’s… what’s your best memory,” he finally asks.</p><p>Galo looks away, but he doesn’t even hesitate. “I was eight. My parents took me to the park. My dad pushed me on the swing and my mom let me have an ice cream cone. When we walked home, I held both their hands and we sang ‘The Yellow Submarine’ together.” Galo looks back at Lio. “That was the day before they died.”</p><p>Shit.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Lio says in turn, ashamed.</p><p>“Don’t be sorry,” Galo says, surprising him. “I’m glad I have such a good memory of them. It’s nice to revisit it every once in a while. I hope… I hope you have some good memories of your parents, too.” </p><p>“I do,” Lio says, tears pricking the corners of his eyes.</p><p>They sit in awkward silence for a long moment.</p><p>Galo stands up, pushes the stool back. “Here,” he says, “let me take your plate.” </p><p>Lio lets him take the empty plate, stacks his utensils on top. Galo walks around the counter into the kitchen with the dishes.</p><p>“Blue,” Lio says softly.</p><p>“What?” Galo says. He’s putting the dishes in the sink. Lio looks away.</p><p>“My favorite color is blue,” Lio says to the wall.</p><p>“Oh,” Galo says. </p><p>“It’s… it’s a recent development,” Lio says with difficulty around the lump in his throat.</p><p>Galo leaves the dishes in the sink, turns to Lio, wipes his hands on his pants.</p><p>“Lio,” he says seriously, “can I take you to bed?”</p><p>“Yes,” Lio says, still staring at the wall.</p><p>Galo takes him to bed and makes love to him so gently that Lio cries.</p><p>***</p><p>They’re lying together, facing each other, fingers twined. Lio is staring at their clasped hands. The contrast between Galo’s olive skin and Lio’s own pale skin is stark. It’s beautiful.</p><p>“I’m a difficult person,” Lio says.</p><p>Galo snorts. “Yeah, no shit,” he says.</p><p>Lio nips his finger. “Asshole,” he says. Galo doesn’t let go of his hand.</p><p>“You know why my last boyfriend dumped me?” Galo says.</p><p>Lio shakes his head.</p><p>“He said I was a dumb, arrogant loudmouth,” Galo says.</p><p>Lio rubs a thumb over the back of Galo’s hand.</p><p>“Thing is, he wasn’t wrong,” Galo says. “That’s exactly what I am.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Lio says, smiling.</p><p>“The thing I like about<em> you </em> is,” Galo says, “you call me all kinds of names, but for some reason, you haven’t dumped me yet. I think you might even like me.”</p><p>“Of course I like you,” Lio says. The words are simple, but they feel good to say. Other words might feel good to say, as well. Lio drags his gaze away from their hands, meets Galo’s eyes.</p><p>“I might even love you, you idiot,” he says.</p><p>Galo lights up like the sun.</p><p>“Really?” he says happily. “I was gonna say it too, but I wasn’t sure if it was too soon.”</p><p>“Of course it’s too soon,” Lio says. “We met two weeks ago. We barely know each other.”</p><p>“So what?” Galo says. “I know enough to love you.”</p><p>Lio feels like he’s been punched in the chest.</p><p>“Galo Thymos,” he says, “you are a ridiculous human being. You’re so stupid.”</p><p>“I love when you sweet-talk me,” Galo says, grinning.</p><p>“I don’t deserve you,” Lio says. “You’ll figure that out one day.”</p><p>“I’m too stupid to figure out anything of the kind,” Galo says. “You’re stuck with me now, Lio Fotia.”</p><p>Lio swipes at his eyes.</p><p>“Hey, don’t cry,” Galo says. “It’s not so bad. At least I’m good-looking, right?”</p><p>Lio smiles, even as a tear tracks down his cheek.</p><p>“You’re very good-looking,” Lio says. “Maybe we should go out some time. I’d like to get to know you better.”</p><p>“That sounds great,” Galo says. “I’d like to get to know you better, too.”</p><p>***</p><p>After their first date—after the sixth time they sleep together—Lio stops counting.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb6ou_k4OzM">Soundtrack</a>
</p><p>Thanks to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/moshimochi">moshimochi</a> for the beta.</p><p>Find me on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/serotoninshift">@SerotoninShift</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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